397 



Tlie plan adopted during the past season, was to make the collec- 

 tions in the more inhabited portions, or in such situations of the country 

 as are the most favorable for the preservation of the plants, and ^et 

 together, as far as possible, the required number of those species which 

 are found in them. 



The parLs which we have examined, undoubtedly contain the major- 

 ity of the whole number of species which grow in the State; and as 

 they are sufficiently settled to possess the requisite facilities for acquir- 

 ing such extensive collections, we have been enabled to accumulate a 

 large number of specimens, which could not have been collected under 

 any other circumstances; and, at the same time, to include in them the 

 majority of the individual plants of the State; thereby preventing the 

 embarrassing necessity of securing this extensive mass while investigat- 

 ing larger and less inhabited tracts, w^here these facilities are not of- 

 fered. 



With the able assistance of Mr, George H. Bull, assistant botanist, I 

 have been enabled to examine between eijiht and nine hundred native 

 or naturalized species of phenogamous or flowering plants; and to col- 

 lect specimens of each, illustrative of their character, amounting in all, 

 to about nine thousand, which are now in an excellent state of preser- 

 ervation. More than this number of species were observed growing in 

 the c unties examined, but they were not in a proper condition for the 

 selection of specimens for preservation at the time of observation. 



A considerable number of cryptogamous or flowerless plants, were 

 also noticed and secured. 



It has been our object, while making these collections, to select those 

 specimens which will exhibit all the characters of the individuals; and 

 for this purpose, all parts of the plants have been taken as far as time 

 and opportunity would admit of. 



The herbaceous plants, when not too large, have been kept entire, 

 including their roots, stems, leaves and flowers; and when too large, 

 suitable portions of each have been taken to illustrate them: of the 

 •woody ones, small branches with their leaves, and when practicable floAv- 

 ers and fruit have been selected for the purpose; and it is intended to 

 make the suit more perfect by procuring sections of their trunks, which 

 want of time prevented us from doing during the botar.izing season. 

 The size of the paper sheet used for holding them, is 12 by 17 inches; 



